4. Luke Shaw (Southampton)
Still only 18 years old, Luke Shaw made a great impression in his first season in the Southampton first team last season, slotting in seamlessly as part of the Saints’ back four as they took on life in the Premier League. His fine form has not gone unnoticed by the big boys of the Premier League, with Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham all being linked with him in recent months.
A boyhood Chelsea fan, it seemed at points like he could be set for a move to Stamford Bridge this summer, though recent events suggest Manchester United manager David Moyes will look to sign him as an alternative to Everton left-back Leighton Baines, whom he appears to have failed to sign in several attempts this summer.
Southampton will be determined to keep hold of their young star, who looks like the latest in a long line of talented players to emerge from the club’s youth system after the likes of Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and perhaps most notably, Gareth Bale, with whom he has drawn comparisons due to his attacking style from left-back, where Bale also started his career playing.